Best of Preps star from Ringgold recruited by San Diego Padres

June 26, 2019 at 1:00 a.m. | Updated June 22, 2019 at 12:53 a.m.

by Davis Lundy

Stephen Hargis, right, awards Ringgold athlete Andre Tarver the Scrappy Moore Male Athlete of the Year award during the Times Free Press's Best of Preps Banquet at the Chattanooga Convention Center on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Former Tennessee basketball player Admiral Schofield was the guest athlete at the dinner honoring area high school athletes.
Stephen Hargis, right, awards Ringgold athlete Andre Tarver the Scrappy Moore Male Athlete of the Year award during the Times Free Press's Best of Preps Banquet at the Chattanooga Convention Center on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Chattanooga, Tenn. Former Tennessee basketball player Admiral Schofield was the guest athlete at the dinner honoring area high school athletes.

Ringgold's Andre Tarver was named to seven of the Times Free Press' Best of Preps teams over the past four years and ended his run as a local football/baseball standout when he was named Male Athlete of the Year at this year's annual BOP banquet June 11.

Now, things get serious.

Tarver committed in 2016 to play baseball at Mississippi State when he finished his Ringgold career. However, he was drafted in the 15th round by the San Diego Padres in the major league baseball draft on June 5.

What to do?

"I want to see where the money is when the Padres make me an offer on July 16 or 17, and then I will make a decision," said Tarver, who was born and raised in Ringgold. "I do think it would be awesome to go ahead and get that pro feeling, but I still have no clue."

Meanwhile, Tarver is spending his summer working out, preparing for either college or pro baseball, and "hanging out with my friends."

In his final season with the Tigers, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Tarver hit .561 with 10 home runs, 36 runs-batted-in, 55 runs scored and 21 stolen bases.

Even with the promise of a pro career on the horizon, Tarver said winning the top male award at BOP and being recognized by the Times Free Press was special.

"I think it's crazy to win that award with so many great athletes in the room," he said.

Tarver joins 23 other North Georgia athletes and Heritage High School softball coach Tanner Moore honored by the Times Free Press as the area's "Best of Preps" this year. The others are:

Baseball

» Gordon Lee juniors Jake Wright and J.D. Day

» Heritage senior Nolan Letzgus

» Ridgeland senior D.J. Ball

» Ringgold High seniors Andre Tarver, Holden Tucker and Daulton Schley

Boys' golf

» Gordon Lee High senior Tucker Windham

» Ringgold High senior Gavin Noble

Boys' track and field

» Gordon Lee senior Jasper Wilson and Wiley Heming, and sophomore Jake Lee

Girls' soccer

» Heritage High junior Anna Boley

Girls' track and field

» Gordon Lee senior Addison Sturdivant, junior Gracie O'Neal and sophomore Kaylee Brown

Softball

» Gordon Lee senior Paxton Grimes, sophomore Emma Minghini and freshman Emma Langston

» Heritage senior Reagan Armour, sophomore Rachel Gibson and freshman Riley KoKinda

» Ringgold freshman Baileigh Pitts

» Heritage coach Tanner Moore named Coach of the Year in softball

Email Davis Lundy at davislundy@aol.com.

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